FOI release

Taxi licensing

Case reference FOI2026/00648

Received 20 April 2026

Published 28 April 2026

Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request the following information for the period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2025. 1. Licensed drivers The total number of licensed: Taxi (hackney carriage) drivers Private hire drivers. 2. Applications and licensing decisions The number of driver licence applications: * Received * Granted * Refused 3. Suspensions and revocations The number of driver licences: * Suspended * Revoked Where recorded, please indicate how many were related to: * Sexual offences * Violent offences 4. Safeguarding and adverse information decisions For the purposes of this request, “adverse information” includes: criminal convictions, police intelligence, safeguarding referrals and any other information considered relevant to the “fit and proper person” assessment Please provide the number of cases where a taxi or private hire driver licence was granted, or renewed, where adverse information was known to the authority at the time of the decision. Where possible, please also indicate: How many of these cases involved sexual or violent offences (convicted or otherwise, where recorded) If exact categorisation is not held, please provide any internal category used to record such decisions. 5. Background checks and safeguarding systems Please confirm: a) Whether your authority uses the NR3 register when assessing applicants (Yes/No) b) Whether your authority subscribes to the DBS Update Service for ongoing monitoring (Yes/No) c) How frequently enhanced DBS checks are required for licensed drivers: * At application only * At renewal * Other (please specify) 6. Private hire operators (including app-based services) The number of licensed private hire operators under your authority, including app-based booking platforms such as Uber, Bolt or similar services where licensed locally. Where available, please provide: * Number of operator licences granted * Refused * Suspended or revoked * Any enforcement action taken against operators

Response

Dual drivers – 50 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council offer Dual Licences and not Hackney Carriage or Private Hire.

2. Applications and licensing decisions

The number of driver licence applications:

* Received - 321
* Granted -310
* Refused -2

3. Suspensions and revocations

The number of driver licences:

* Suspended - 0
* Revoked - 7

Where recorded, please indicate how many were related to:

* Sexual offences - 2
* Violent offences - 2

4. Safeguarding and adverse information decisions

For the purposes of this request, “adverse information” includes: criminal convictions, police intelligence, safeguarding referrals and any other information considered relevant to the “fit and proper person” assessment

Please provide the number of cases where a taxi or private hire driver licence was granted, or renewed, where adverse information was known to the authority at the time of the decision.

Where possible, please also indicate:
How many of these cases involved sexual or violent offences (convicted or otherwise, where recorded) 0

If exact categorisation is not held, please provide any internal category used to record such decisions. 0

5. Background checks and safeguarding systems

Please confirm:

a) Whether your authority uses the NR3 register when assessing applicants (Yes/No) Yes

b) Whether your authority subscribes to the DBS Update Service for ongoing monitoring (Yes/No) Yes

c) How frequently enhanced DBS checks are required for licensed drivers:

* At application only
* At renewal
* Other (please specify) Every 6 months

6. Private hire operators (including app-based services)

The number of licensed private hire operators under your authority, including app-based booking platforms such as Uber, Bolt or similar services where licensed locally.

Where available, please provide:

* Number of operator licences granted - 83
* Refused -0
* Suspended or revoked -0
* Any enforcement action taken against operators -0

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.